eral Lincoln at Manchester.
Lincoln instantly detached them, and Warner and his men marched all
night through drenching rain, arriving at Stark's camp in the morning,
dripping wet.

Stark left them at Bennington to dry and rest themselves and then to
follow on; in the meantime he pushed forward with his men to support
the party sent out the preceding day under Gregg, in quest of the
Indians. He met them about five miles off in full retreat, Baum and
his force a mile in their rear. He halted and prepared for action.
Baum also halted, posted himself on a high ground at a bend of the
little river Walloomscoick and began to intrench himself. Stark fell
back a mile to wait for reinforcements and draw down Baum from his
strong position. A skirmish took place between the advance guards;
thirty of Baum's men were killed and two Indian chiefs. An incessant
rain on the 15th prevented an attack on Baum's camp, but there was
continual skirmishing. The colonel strengthened his intrenchments, and
finding he had a larger force to contend with than he had anticipated,
sent off in all haste to Burgoyne for reinforcements. Colonel Breyman
marched off immediately with five hundred Hessian grenadiers and
infantry and two six-pounders, leaving behind him his tents, baggage,
and standards.

In the meantime the Americans had been mustering from all quarters to
Stark's assistance, with such weapons as they had at hand. During the
night of the 15th, Colonel Symonds arrived with a body of Berkshire
militia. On the following morning the sun shone bright, and Stark
prepared to attack Baum in his intrenchments; though he had no
artillery, and his men, for the most part, had only their ordinary
brown firelocks without bayonets. Two hundred of his men, under
Colonel Nichols, were detached to the rear of the enemy's left; three
hundred under Colonel Herrick, to the rear of his right; they were to
join their forces and attack him in the rear, while Colonels Hubbard
and Stickney, with two hundred men, diverted his attention in front.

At the first sound of fire-arms, Stark, who had remained with the main
body in camp, mounted his horse and gave the word, _forward!_ He had
promised his men the plunder of the British camp. The homely speech
made by him when in sight of the enemy, has often been cited. "Now, my
men! There are the red coats! Before night they must be ours, or Molly
Stark will be a widow!"

Baum soon found himself assailed on every side